Is 5 Second Rule A Myth Or Not?

We have all heard about the ‘five second rule', that food dropped on the ground is still safe to eat if it is picked up within five seconds.Researchers have now demonstrated that this rule may be more than just a myth. According to msn.com researchers dropped various pieces of food – including toast, pasta, ham, a sticky dessert and dried fruit – on the floor and allowed it to sit there for three to 30 seconds.

Many floor surfaces were tested including  carpet, laminate and tile then analyzed the dropped food to determine whether certain strains of bacteria had been transferred from the floor.

The tests concluded that the faster a person picks up dropped food, the safer it will be to eat – provided that he or she reacts within five seconds of dropping the food (hence the 5 second rule).

Whether the food is dropped on carpet or tile also makes a difference, with carpet emerging as the safer surface for dropped foods compared to tile or laminate.

The five second rule has shown to be much more than a myth. Full Story